Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

SARS-CoV-2 introductions and early dynamics of the epidemic in Portugal

2022; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 2; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/s43856-022-00072-0

2730-664X

Vítor Borges, Joana Isidro, Nídia S. Trovão, Sílvia Duarte, Helena Cortes Martins, Hugo Martiniano, Isabel Gordo, Ricardo B. Leite, Luı́s Vieira, Agostinho José S. Lira, Aida M. Sousa Fernandes, Alexandra Estrada, Alexandra Nunes, Alfredo Sotero Alves Rodrigues, Ana Castro Caldas, Ana Constança, Ana Margarida Henriques, Ana Miguel Matos, Ana Oliveira, Ana Paula Soares Dias, Ana Pelerito, Ana Rita Couto, Anabela Vilares, Antônio Albuquerque, Baltazar Nunes, Bruna R. Gouveia, Carina Rodrigues, Carla Feliciano, Carla Roque, Carlos Cardoso, Carlos Sousa, Cathy Paulino, Célia Bettencourt, Cláudia C. Branco, Cláudia N. Santos, Conceição Godinho, Constantino Caetano, Cristina Correia, Cristina Toscano, Cristina Veríssimo, Daniela Silva, Diana Patrícia Pinto da Silva, Eliana Costa, Elizabeth Pádua, Fátima Martins, Fátima Vale, Fernanda Vilarinho, Fernando Branca, Filomena Caldeira, Filomena Lacerda, Francisca Rocha, M.P.F. Graça, Helena Ribeiro, Helena Rodrigues, Herberto Jesus, Hugo Sousa, Idalina Ferreira, Inês Baldaque, Inês Costa, Inês Gomes, Inna Slobidnyk, Isabel Soares de Albergaria, Isabel Dias, Isabel Fernandes, Isabel Lopes de Carvalho, Ivone Água‐Doce, Jácome Bruges‐Armas, J M Guerra Ramos, João Carlos Sousa, João Costa, João Victor Leite Dias, João Rodrigues, João Sobral, Jorge Machado, Jorge Meneses, José Antônio Barreto Alves, José Vicente Constantino, Laura Brum, Leonor Silveira, Lı́bia Zé-Zé, Lídia Santos, Ludivina Freitas, Luís Silva, Luísa Mota‐Vieira, Lurdes Lopes, Lummy Monteiro, M. T. Faria, Margarida Farinha, Margarida Vaz, M. Alice Pinto, Maria Ana Pessanha, Maria Beatriz Tomaz, Maria Calle Vellés, Maria da Graça Maciel de Soveral, Maria Helena Ramos, María Isabel Veiga, Maria João Gargaté, Maria João Peres, Maria José Borrego, Maria Matos Figueiredo, Mariana Leonel Martins, Mariana Thereza Rodrigues Viana, Maurício Melim, Miguel Babarro Jorreto, Miguel Fevereiro, Miguel Pinheiro, Mónica Oleastro, Nair Seixas, Nelson Ventura, Nuno Verdasca, O. A. Dalla Costa, Patrícia Barros, Patrícia Fonseca, Patricia Martínez‐Miguel, Maria Paula Bajanca-Lavado, Paula Branquinho, Paula Palminha, Paula Matias Soares, Paula Valente, Paulo Leandro, Paulo Pereira, Pedro Henrique Cardoso, Pedro Pechirra, Pedro Ramos, Raquel Neves, Raquel Rocha, Raquel Rodrigues, Raquel Sabino, Regina Sá, Ricardo Filipe Romão Ferreira, Ricardo Gouveia Rodrigues, Rita C. Veloso, Rita Cordeiro, Rita Côrte‐Real, Rita de Sousa, Rita Gralha, Rita Macedo, Rita Matos, Rita Rodrigues, S. Paulo, SARA MELISSA LAGO SOUSA, Sílvia Lopo, Sónia Marta Santos Magalhães, Sónia Rodrigues, Sónia Silva, Susana Ladeiro, Susana Martins, Susana Pereira Silva, Teresa Salvado, Tiago C. Luís, Valquíria Alves, Vera Manageiro, Raquel Guiomar, João Paulo Gomes,

Evolution and Genetic Dynamics

Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal was rapidly implemented by the National Institute of Health in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic, in collaboration with more than 50 laboratories distributed nationwide.By applying recent phylodynamic models that allow integration of individual-based travel history, we reconstructed and characterized the spatio-temporal dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 introductions and early dissemination in Portugal.We detected at least 277 independent SARS-CoV-2 introductions, mostly from European countries (namely the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, and Switzerland), which were consistent with the countries with the highest connectivity with Portugal. Although most introductions were estimated to have occurred during early March 2020, it is likely that SARS-CoV-2 was silently circulating in Portugal throughout February, before the first cases were confirmed.Here we conclude that the earlier implementation of measures could have minimized the number of introductions and subsequent virus expansion in Portugal. This study lays the foundation for genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal, and highlights the need for systematic and geographically-representative genomic surveillance.